Marty

Unfortunately, that's correct. Talking about sportsmanship, catch-and-release or selective harvest to people who keep everything is absolutely useless. I've also seen a few ponds ruined for bass fishing, even when people are keeping stuff legally. New York has it right when they say: "Indiscriminate removal, even within legal seasons and creel limits, may result in less desirable fisheries in sensitive waters."

A little over the rating shouldn't have much effect. If you're significantly over the maximum, then make sort of a lob cast rather than a hard snap cast.

I'm no genius, I just read it somewhere, just like you did. That's what forums are for.

This is a red flag to me. I've never owned a business, but I've read many times that successful small business owners work extraordinarily hard and a huge number of hours.

I'd love to catch more catfish the way they fight around here. But as others have said, I don't know a reliable way to tell about bass without fishing it. However, depending on where you are, this may not be the best time of year to make a determination.

My general guide is to use a hook with at least double the gap of the bait's diameter. For Senkos in 3"-4"-5", I use extra-wide-gap hooks in 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0.

If you are using braid tied directly to the spool, that could be causing the slippage.

I've been using 15# Power Pro for a couple years and use the Palomar knot only and haven't had any breakage. I leave a longer tag end than normal but don't know if that has any bearing on the situation.

I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.

Very nice. Fall foliage has always been one of my favorite photographic subjects.

I don't store all my gear in a tacklebox, but my "traveling bag" is the 3600. Frankly, it's as heavy as I want to tote from the truck to the boat! 8-) As I aged, I learned that I don't have to be a traveling tackle shop. Both my partners aren't comfortable unless they bring along a load of stuff, and I say, that's fine, to each his own.

I've used the small duolock snaps for years without problems. I use them for my convenience and don't know if they catch more or less fish, but I fish them with confidence because I don't think they deter strikes in any way.

I can understand your desire for specifics, but there are countless brands, sizes, shapes, colors, depths and actions of crankbaits. Get a brand you know, choose baits that match your desired fishing depth, get a light color and a bright color and you should be off to a good start.

There are a number of "standard" sizes, with the 3600 and 3700 probably the most popular. The one that you should use is the one that matches your needs. My bag can carry six 3600s and I never have to bring more than five. Both of my partners have suitcase-sized bags that can hold a load of 3700s. If you're going to do most of your fishing from your new boat, I'd probably use the 3700s. While I don't know a lot about bass boats, I'm sure their storage area can accommodate a generous supply of the larger size.

My two biggest bass came from a six-acre pond. These days my best place for bigger bass is a pond that's smaller than 30 acres. Of course there are big bass in bigger waters too, it's just that small water doesn't have to mean small bass.

I use Palomar with 15# Power Pro. Never had a failure, which I guess is why I use it.

I've had action, at least from brown trout, on a variety of lures, such as spinners, grubs on jigheads and crankbaits, such as Floating Rapalas.

I don't know how they'd fit, but I've had to occasion to e-mail them with questions and they've always been good about replying.

Check with your state. Here in New York boats have to be registered if they are propelled by mechanical power, which excludes most canoes, kayaks and rowboats.

I don't even consider matching the hatch. Over the years I've seen so many fish caught on so many lures, sizes, shapes, action, color, etc., that it just doesn't add up for me.

I haven't viewed LBH's show due to log-in problems. John, those are terrific. I've loved photography most of my adult life, but never had the artistic creativity that your pictures display. Just out of curiosity, was the picture of the woman between the birch tree trunks taken in Durand near the golf course? I always wanted to take a similar picture but never had the opportunity. Again, great pics!! P.S. Film or digital?

Yes, I've heard of them and am on a forum where a few people from the company are members, as was the now-deceased founder. I have no need for them, but a good online friend uses them all the time.

I took a peek at the Aurora on the Wenonah site and, superficially, at least, it seems very similar to the Old Town Camper, which a friend owns and which we have fished from a number of times. There's no reason that wouldn't serve your fishing needs. For me, I am not a canoeist, just a fisherman, with no other uses for a canoe, so I chose that which I thought would serve me best for fishing. You say you're getting "long in the tooth", so don't fiddle around with a decision for 15 years like I did. I wish I could be transported back in time and buy that thing years before I actually did. Good luck whatever you decide.

Me too. The winter is interminable. :'(

Ditto to the previous reply.